Eva Cox AO (b. 1938), academic, feminist and social activist, emigrated to Australia in 1948 after her Jewish family had reunited following separation during the war. As a student at the University of Sydney she became active in politics and social issues. In 1972, a single parent, she enrolled at the University of NSW, where she became deeply involved in feminism and one of the early members of the Women’s Electoral Lobby. She was a vociferous spokesperson on a range of social issues including superannuation, childcare and social security. From 1977 to 1981 she directed the New South Wales Council for Social Services; later, having held a number of advisory and public service positions, she helped to found the Women's Economic Think Tank. From 1994 to 2007 she was the senior lecturer and program director in social inquiry at the University of Technology, Sydney, and since 2007 has been a professorial fellow at Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning at UTS. Cox is a regular contributor to social justice, social policy and political forums across a range of media.
Known for using traditional mediums, Kim Spooner painted this portrait of Cox using encaustic, which involves adding coloured pigments to heated wax. This technique gives a three-dimensional effect, adding depth and character to the face. Spooner was awarded the 1999 Portia Geach Memorial Prize for this work.
Gift of Eva Cox 2003. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
© Kim Spooner
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